Gel – Coat Wax?

[edward ericson]

Little circles, big circles. Kent, you’re a more patient man than me.

[KentT]

edsnova wrote:

Little circles, big circles. Kent, you’re a more patient man than me.

I tried an orbital briefly, and didn’t like the job it was doing on the curved areas (fenders especially), and there’s really very little flat area on these things to use one.  I found I was having to do most of it by hand any way.  So, I quickly just set it aside and went with hand pads…

I’ve used compounding as “therapy” to keep me motivated to keep fighting the PITA rusty brake system and worn components. 

1. Originally planned replacing only the flexible brake lines only to find rust inside everywhere, and had to replace metal lines also.  Similarly found a bad tie rod end to replace only to discover the tie rod itself was bent – so now it has all new tie rods and ends.  Had to use angle grinder to cut the nuts/threads off two tie rod ends and borrow a “tuning fork” to break the other ends loose after that.  Even with repeated use of Kroil and PBblaster, I’m twisting off bolt heads, etc.  This thing had been parked inside a barn since 1998 — but it must’ve been a very damp barn!  

2. Similarly, found the original steering stabilizer was so worn you could play it like a trombone, so I replaced it — and the front shocks.  

Bottom line is that everything so far has taken about 3-4 times the amount of time/effort I’d originally thought, so I’m just using it a the hobby project that it should be, taking my time a little at a time….

Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...

[BEBOP]

Well, I agree that you have to be super carefull with electric buffers or polishers with Fiberglass and gel-coat. The heat builds up fast if you are not carefull. I had one of those orbital buffers and mounted it upside down inside a five gallon plastic bucket, lined the inside of the bucket with sheepskin, and turned it into a great pool / billiard ball polisher. With a little Aramith Billiard Ball Cleaner it buffs an entire set of pool / snooker balls to a brilliant shine in about three minutes. Thats about all high speed buffers are good for in my view.  

Randy in Chandler Arizona, great B-bopp'in teritory. I must have the only one in the country made by Rich Industries in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on a 1986 Ford Cortina (english ford escort) It's a 1600cc straight four cylinder front engne, 4 speed, changed from right side driver to left side with several shafts and u-joints. BEBOP because I once had an MGB with license plate MG-BEPOP in Virginia.

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